Li told the court she met an African man, who lived in China's province of Guangzhou, via the internet last July.

The man successfully persuaded her to go to Guangzhou and rented her a hotel room on October 11.

Two days later, he said he would help her land a high-paying, stable job if she agreed to carry a suitcase full of clothes to Vietnam for him.

She agreed. The man bought her a plane ticket and gave her an additional US$364 to cover the costs of her trip.

At around 6 p.m. on October 13, 2013 customs officers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City seized a plastic bag containing 1.996 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in the suitcase Li was carrying.

Li told the court she did not know about the drugs inside the suitcase.

Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws. Those convicted of smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty.